Do you find yourself with so many interests that you’re not sure what to do with all of them? Or are you feeling like you don't fit into this world of single focus, especially when it comes to your work life?

In this episode of Books to Better Your Life, host Anne Brinkman explores Barbara Sher's Refuse to Choose, which addresses the challenges faced by what she called “scanners,” people with diverse interests who struggle to focus on a single path.

Brinkman highlights her key takeaways, including the idea of a Scanner Daybook to capture ideas, the importance of “career tryouts,” and strategies for integrating multiple passions into your working life. She also discusses Sher’s types of scanners and their unique traits, encouraging listeners to embrace their multifaceted nature and find ways to incorporate their interests into fulfilling careers and lives.

In this episode, you’ll learn about:

-Individuals with multiple interests – “scanners” – who struggle to commit to a single focus.

-The 11 different types of scanners, each with unique traits.

-Strategies for integrating your many passions, like having multiple specialties, maintaining hobbies, or creating a unique career combining various interests.

-“Career tryouts,” or experimenting with different careers to see if they match your expectations before fully committing.

-The “scanner daybook,” a tool for capturing and organizing your ideas and interests.

Noteworthy quotes

“Sometimes scanners are described as multi-passionates, or multipotentialites, or a renaissance man or woman, or sometimes, when they can harness it, jack-of-all-trades. Some of Sher’s descriptions are: ‘I work at low-paying jobs because there's nothing I'm willing to commit to,’ ‘I keep changing my mind about what I want to do and end up doing nothing,’ and ‘I'll never be an expert in anything.’”

“Sher considers people like Leonardo da Vinci, Aristotle, Goethe, and Ben Franklin as scanners. They had no qualms about exploring many different areas. And no one tried to stop them either. it was normal.”

“Aren't we interesting? We have all of these interests. And yet we also put all these obstacles in the way.”

“If this idea of a scanner resonates with you, then possibly just accepting your identity as one is a huge relief for you.”

Resources and links mentioned in this episode:

-Buy Refuse to Choose on amazon.com or bookshop.org *

-Watch Barbara Sher's TEDx talk, “Isolation is the Dream Killer”

-Visit Sher’s official website

-Explore Sher’s concept of Success Teams

-Join Sher’s Facebook community

Connect with Anne Brinkman

Website: www.betteryour.life

LinkedIn: @coachannebrinkman

Free confidence recordings: www.betteryour.life/audio

Newsletter: get notified of new podcast episodes or blog posts

Free discovery session: get support on your own personal growth journey

* As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

As a Bookshop affiliate, I receive a commission and every book you buy on Bookshop.org also supports local, independent bookstores.